Electric regulator



(No-Model.) B. A.- SPERRY. BLBGTRG REGULATOR.

Patented Apr. 29, 1884( .IIIIHH Z Z a muuu nl )mmm @MV h f N, PETERS, Pnutmulhnmg, wmlngtw. DAQ

UNrT-E STATES ELMER A. SPERRY, O

PATENT FFICE.

F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,866, dated April 29, 1884.

Application tiled March 20, 1883. (No model.)

l'o all wwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER A. SPERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,- have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Regulators, of which the following is a specication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an electric regulator in which an electrical current operates in conjunction with gravity by controlling the flow of a fluid or gasto or from gravitating reservoirs, which are connected with the devices to be adjusted for regulating or controlling an electric current.

The object of the invention is to provide a regulator or controller which will act automatically with a very considerable force, which may be automatically controlled by an electric current.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a vertical section of a portion of aregulator constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of another portion of the regulator connected with parts shown in section, which are alsoshown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical diametric section through the top portion of one of the gravitating reservoirs. Fig.4E is a horizontal section on the `line x x, Fig. 1.

Referring iirst to Fig. 2, the letters J and J indicate reservoirs, which are secured to the opposite ends of au equal-armed1ever,K, piv oted at K. These reservoirs are normally balanced and held in position by opposing springs L and( L', which bear against opposite sides of the lever K near one end. These springs are coiled about a rod, Z,which passes through the lever loosely, and has its opposite ends iixed to plates Z l, the latter of which is pivotally attached to a ixed support, as shown at Zi. The tops of the reservoirs are provided with thimbles or inverted cups u a, which are connected by atube, N, which may be flexible or not. In the lower portion of these thimbles or cups are arranged valve-seats, as shown at o in section, Fig. 3, and underneath each of valveseats, and arranged to close the port thereof, is a valve, P, mounted on the iioat Q, which is supported by cross-wire a' r at the top of the reservoirs.

oted at one end to the lever K, and its other end is intended to be connected with any adjustable devices for regulating either directly 0r intermediately the flow of an electric current, or for shunting or breaking the circuit of the same. For instance, this rod M maybe connected with the throttle-valve of a steamengine employed to drive a dynamo-electric machine; or it may be connected with the adjustable brushes of the external circuit of such a machine, or to the adjustable brushes of a circuit which includes the helices of the fieldmagnets, as described in an application for patent heretofore iiled by me. The connecting-rod may be connected with a switch or a adjustable device which will control, vary, or regulate an electric current.'

With the bottoms of each of the reservoirs ends of which are respectively connected with the ports A B of a cylinder, T, (see Fig. 1,) which is mounted on a hollow base, t, and is enlarged at its upper end, asA shown at t, to

zontal elastic diaphragm, I.

In one side of the cylinder T is formed a port, C, with which is connected a pipe, C', the other end of which is intended to be connected with any source of supply of a fluid, this source of supply being so arranged that the fluid will flow therefrom through the pipe Cl and into the cylinder T through the port C, which is arranged at a point midway between the ports A and B.

In the cylinder T are two valves, A and B, connected by a bar, a, which holds the valves at a distance apart equal to the distance between the ports A and B', so that said valves the .upper valve, A, extends a stem, b,which is connected with the center of the diaphragm I. The letter D indicates a waste-pipe, which is connected with the cylinder T` above the valve A by means of passages D D.

end of the cylinder T, is screwed a cylindrical shell, V, preferably of brass or other nonmagnetic material, about which is arranged a helix, E, and within said vshell is'arranged a shunting device of any kind, or to any other -lnay close these ports simultaneously. FromV Into the top of the chamber t', at the upperA The letter M indicates va connecting-rod, piv- Y are connected iiexible tubes S and S,the lower form a chamber in which is arranged a hori- IOO soft-iron core, E, which is connected, at its lower end with the diaphragm I by a stem, F, which is swiveled on a stud, f, secured to said diaphragm. The stem F also extends upwardly through the core and hasa screwthreaded upper end,which projects through an eudwise projection of the core,which proj ect-s loosely through the cap v of the shell. The upper end of this stem F is secured to one end of a spring, G, the other end of which is secured to a bent arm, H, having a collar or ring, lz, which is screwed upon the upper portion of` the shell V above the helix. Said arm H may be adjusted vertically by turning the collar h upon the shell; and H is a jam-nut, by which said collar may be prevented from working upward. As the spring G supports the core E, it will be seen that byadjusting the arm H the resistance to the action of the helix on the core may be regulated.

rlhe diaphragm I is provided to hold the lower extremity of the stem F, and at the same time to prevent fluid from rising from the cylinder to the interior of" the magnet.

The operation of the apparatus as new described is as follows: The pipe C', it will be remembered, establishes communication between the intermediate portions of the cylinder and the Huid-suppl y, and the pipes S and S', portions only of which are shown in Fig. 1, lead to the reservoirs, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2. The valves A and B, being controlled by the magnet, will, if depressed, cstablish communication between the pipe C and the pipe S, and this will allow the level of the fluid in the reservoir J to rise by receiving an addition through the pipes from the fluid-supply, and at the same time the valve A opens the port A, so that fiuid will fiow from the reservoir J and pass off through the passages D D and waste-pipe D. Thus the reservoir .I is quickly caused to overbalance the reservoir J and the lever K will be tilted accordingly, and move the rod M so that it will adjust the regulating, switching, shunting, or other circuit-controlling devices to which it may be attached. If the valves A and B should be raised, the opera-- tion will, of' course, be the reverse of that caused by their depression, except that the waste or discharge from the reservoir J passes directly off from the pipe S to the waste-pipe D. The pipe N allows the air to be readily displaced from one reservoir to the other, but the rising fluid in one reservoir is prevented from flowing into the other by the valve I), which is floated up to its seat. Then no current circulates in the helix E, its core E willbc held in its normal position by the spring G, and the valves A and B will bc so placed that communication is established between the ports C and B and between the port A and the waste-pipe. The result is,

that reservoir J becomes discharged, andthe fluid in reservoir .I rises to the top, and would ilow over into reservoir J were it not for the valve I), carried by the float Q, which rides on the surface of the fluid and closes the opening to the pipe N.

rlhe helix E is preferably included in a eircuit derived from the circuit on which the current is to be regulated; but it may be included in a branch or independent circuit, the current upon which will, through suitable intermediate devices, be varied in accordance with variations which may take place in the current to be regulated.

Having now fully described my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts as shown in mydrawings, but may vary the same in any manner for carrying out the essential principle of my invcntion.

I am aware that in an electric regulator a fluid-reservoir has been caused to rise by hydrostatic pressure and fall by gravity, for the purpose of varying the resistance in a circuit, and I do not claim such a regulating mechanism.

VVhat I claim is- 1. An elcctric-cinrent regulator having in combination a mechanism for actuating a valve or valves by means of variations in an electric current, a valve or valves arranged to be so actuated, a fluid or gas supply and exhaust brought into and out oi action by the movement or position of such valve or valves, a counterbalanced reservoir or reservoirs, to and from which the fluid or gas is caused to liow and increase or decrease the weight thereof, and suitable mechanical connections for transmitting motion from said reservoir or reservoirs, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. rlhe combination, with the gravitating reservoirs secured to the opposite ends of a tilting-lever, of connections for transmitting motion from said reservoirs, and means controlled by an electrical current for causing a fluid or gas to flow to and from said reservoirs alternately, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. rlhe combination, with the cylinder T, the connected pipes S and S, pipe G, and a suitable exhaust, of the connected valves A and B and the core of an axial magnet connected with said valves, substantially as described.

In testimony whereol' Iaffix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER A. SPERRY.

Vitnesses:

OHAs. S. CLnAvnn, A.. A. GRTFFITH.

IOO

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